Gary Oak: Valkyrie
by Frontline
Summary: During a terrorist attack on the Celadon City Pokemon Centre, Gary becomes caught up with the Freelance Organisation known as the Valkyries


**Pokemon is the property of Satoshi Tajiri and owned by Nintendo. No Copyright Infringement is intended or profit made from this work of fiction. Story may not be reproduced without my permission.**

Nidoking swung its' tail in a vicious sweep that struck Machamp squarely under the chin, pitching him backwards to crash to the ground with a definite finality. Gary Oak, watching from a walkway above the arena, smiled to himself; a battle between two well-trained Pokémon always raised his spirits. Gary looked at Umbreon, standing on the rail next to him, and gave him a faint smile; Umbreon had been one of his closest partners ever since he had evolved from Eevee. Gary's Poke Gear beeped and Gary pulled it out, looking at the message displayed on the screen.

Mr Oak,

I am writing on behalf of Celadon Pokémon Archive. We would like to offer you a position with...

Gary stabbed his finger at the delete button, angrily. Pokémon Trainers from the age of 10 received a Trainers Allowance from the Pokémon League to cover essentials such as Poke balls and medicines. Now, as the end of his Trainer Allowance approached, he'd been contacted by more large businesses and important companies than he knew had ever existed. While none of them had openly said it, they all wanted the prestige of having the Grandson of Professor Oak as a figurehead to boost their reputation.

His good mood ruined, Gary turned away, walking towards the main concourse and the exits. He was walking down a corridor, when a door opened and a young woman stepped out. Taller than Gary, she had short, wavy blond hair and was dressed in functional clothes.

She stopped, giving him an appraising stare for a few seconds, before turning and walking away. Confused, Gary was about to follow her and ask what she was doing, when all the lights went out, plunging the corridor into darkness.

"Umbreon, Flash." Gary called, instinctively.

Instantly, Umbreon's markings, yellow rings on his head and hind-quarters, glowed brightly, illuminating the corridor a few feet in either direction and the woman who was walking back towards him, an Alakazam at her side. Instinctively, Gary's hand when to the Poke balls at his belt.

"Easy. I don't mean you any harm."

She said, stopping a few feet from him. Gary's hand dropped away from his belt, but he still watched her carefully.

"_Lisa, are you there_?"

Came a crackly voice from the radio attached to her jacket. Touching a finger to her ear, she replied;

"Lisa here, over."

"_Lisa, powers failed throughout the building, and we think we have intruders. What's your position?"_

"Northwest side, near Arena 17 And I have the package with me."

_"Alright. Rendezvous at the Main Foyer."_

"Acknowledged."

Lisa said, before turning back to Gary.

"Mr Oak, I'm going to ask you to trust me. You need to come with me, now. "

"Oh, sure. Just like that, when I don't even know who you are. And how do you know my name?"

Gary retorted.

"You're cautious. That's not a bad thing to be. But, we don't have much time. This building is under attack and I need to get you somewhere safe. Come on."

Several minutes later, they were crouching down on another walkway above the Main Foyer, looking down at the two figures standing in front of the doors. Dressed in red jumpsuits, with visors concealing their faces, they each had Pokémon by their sides; a Donphan and a Houndour, respectively.

Also visible from their vantage point, but not to the visored strangers, were three figures crouching behind a low counter.

One of them, a man dressed in an expensive leather jacket and designer sunglasses, looked up to where Gary and Lisa were hiding and gave a hand signal, before turning and slipping across the lobby, with his compatriot's in tow. Several minutes later, they were crouched next to Lisa, observing the men below and Gary got a better look at the other two men. One was heavily built, with muscle, not fat. He wore jeans and a t-shirt with a stylised Poke ball on it, as well as leather gloves. His expression was serious, matched by his buzz cut hairstyle. In contrast, his companion was slight, with messy blond hair and eyes that hinted at good humour, despite the situation. He was dressed in sturdy clothes and battered trainers.

The man in the leather jacket looked at Gary over the rim of his sunglasses, before turning to Lisa.

"I see you found him. Good. Mr Oak, my name is Conrad Maze and I'm pleased to meet you, despite the circumstances."

Seeing Gary's confused expression, he continued.

"Explanations will have to wait for now. As for what's going on, we have as little information as you do right now. All we know is that this building has been overrun by our masked friends down there. We're going to do something about it. Gary, I think you should stay with Hammer; he'll keep you safe."

Gary bristle

"I'm not going to duck out if there's trouble. I can take care of myself."

"I don't doubt your courage, Gary. But, this isn't the Pokémon League. There aren't any rules or referees, now."

"I'm aware of that. I've battled Team Rocket, even their Executives, and they didn't play by the rules either. I know what I'm getting myself into. "

Gary responded.

Conrad smiled:

"Good point, Mr Oak. This will be dangerous, though. Are you still willing to help?"

Gary nodded, determinedly, and Conrad smiled.

"Excellent. I imagine they've taken hostages. I have a plan to find out where they are, but it will be risky. Lisa, we need to get someone on the inside. Are you willing?"

She nodded and Conrad continued.

"Alright. Gary, I'd like you to go with her, just in case they somehow catch onto us. Hammer, follow them and report. If things get bad, I'll need you on hand to pull them out."

The large man nodded, although his deadpan expression did not change.

"Umbreon can help, too."

Gary added.

"He can sneak in with us and give us a wild card to keep up our sleeve."

Umbreon gave a trill of agreement and Conrad continued:

"Okay. Meanwhile, Denver and I will try and get out a message out. This will be a lot easier with some support. Move out and good luck."

The others moved off, leaving Gary and Lisa alone on the walkway. Lisa handed Gary a radio-earpiece, which he slipped into place.

"What's the plan?"

Gary asked.

"We walk down there and give ourselves up."

Lisa answered, matter-of-factly.

Gary was about to laugh, when he saw Lisa's expression.

"You're serious."

"Yes, I am. And so is this. If this goes wrong, we could both get killed. So, you'll do what I say, when I say. Understood?"

Gary nodded, repressing the angry retort that had been forming, and Lisa beckoned him to follow her. At Gary's signal, Umbreon moved off, fading into the shadows, becoming invisible. As they crept along the corridors, Gary tried to sort through where his anger had come from. He'd been furious with Lisa for treating him like an amateur. But before, he'd been angry at being wanted just for his name. However, as soon as someone didn't act like his was anyone special, he was insulted. Perhaps he was as arrogant as some people said. Lisa stopped suddenly, and Gary stopped, too.

"Alright." She whispered.

"Here we go. Follow my lead, okay?"

Without waiting for an answer, she dashed round the corner and Gary sprang after her. He caught up to her, just in time to hear her say;

"Come on, we should be able to get...uh oh."

She said, as she saw the two guards and Gary had to admire her acting skills. The guards had clearly seen them and it took all of Gary's self-control not to reach for his Poke balls and they started forward, their Pokémon moving to surround them.

One of them touched his ear, saying;

"This is Squad 6. We've caught two civilians attempting to exit via the Eastern Foyer...acknowledged. Six-two, take them to the others and then report back here."

The guard with the Houndour nods and motions Gary and Lisa to move ahead of him. Gary looked around, but saw no sign of Hammer or Umbreon. He just had to hope that they were keeping them in sight. Minutes later, they were escorted into the Central Atrium, where the hostages sat on the floor, surrounded by a ring of guards. Gary's eye was drawn to the man giving orders to another squad of guards. Despite wearing the same clothes as the rest of the intruders, he had an air of authority and quiet menace that mark him as someone dangerous. The Leader nodded at Gary and Lisa's escort, who turned to them.

"Sit over there with others, nice and quiet. Don't try anything and there won't be any trouble. "

They did as instructed and Gary wondered why they had let him keep his Poke balls. He supposed with so many guards, the possibility of actually being able to use them was minimal. It was a good thing he'd asked Umbreon to stay hidden, as well. Suddenly, Gary's earpiece crackled, and he heard Conrad say;

"Alright. We've got through to the local Police Department and advised them of the situation. Stay put and we'll keep you posted."

Several tense minutes later, one of the guards entered, clearly agitated. He made straight for the Leader and they had a brief, whispered exchange.

The Leader stepped forward and, when he spoke, his voice was more cultured than Gary had expected.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, your attention, please. For the purposes of simplicity, you may call me Rain. I have just been informed that Police forces have surrounded this building. I urge nobody to attempt to be a hero. We have plenty of hostages; I can afford to lose a few. Do not make me choose you."

Gary glanced at Lisa, admiring how she could be so calm, when his heart was already beating faster and he just wanted to fight. Maybe, he should have listened to Conrad, after all.

Conrad slipped the headset over his ears, adjusting the dial.

"215.4? You're sure that's the Police frequency, Denver?"

"Standard emergency frequency, boss. Trust me. "

Conrad adjusted to the frequency and spoke into the mouthpiece.

"Attention, Police Incident Command. Repeat, Police Incident Command. This is Pokémon League Specialist Valkyrie-1, inside the Celadon Pokémon Gym. Please respond."

Silence followed for several seconds, and then the headset crackled with a reply.

"Valkyrie-1, this is PIC, Officer Jenny online. Can you describe the situation inside?"

"Affirmative. The Gym has been seized by approximately 15 terrorists, and they have taken around 50 hostages. Officer, I am convinced that they are the Cobalt Cloud. Negotiation will not be a viable option in this situation."

"I agree, Valkyrie-1. We'll organise for a Tactical Strike immediately. What assets do you have inside?"

"Three of my team, plus one civilian. The civilian, and one of mine, are in with the hostages and can help keep the people out of harm's way. However, they know not to interfere with your operation. Acknowledged?"

"Acknowledged, Valkyrie-1. Operations will commence in ten minutes. PIC out."

The first indication that the two sentries at the West Entrance had of anything wrong was when the doors blew off their hinges with a loud bang, filling the room with a cloud of smoke. From out of the cloud swooped a Noctowl, sweeping towards the startled guards.

The first guard fell, a victim of Noctowl's Hypnosis. The second reacted faster, releasing his Mightyena from his Poke ball and ordering him to attack. Mightyena surged forward, springing upwards with jaws open. Noctowl desperately strove for height, Mightyena's jaws closing where she had been a second ago. Wheeling about, she dove in with a Wing Attack, only to have Mightyena dodge effortlessly, kicking out as she passed to slam Noctowl into the floor. Before Mightyena could follow up on his attack, a blast of fire flashed over his head, making him duck and spring around. He let out a growl when he saw the Charmeleon and two Police Officers dressed in navy blue jumpsuits, black flak jackets and balaclavas. One Officer recalled his wounded Noctowl, releasing his Jolteon to take its place. Both Officers ordered their Pokémon to attack and Mightyena charged to meet them. Charmeleon sprang forward, his head butt catching Mightyena squarely in the chest and flinging him backwards. Jolteon's Officer seized the opportunity, ordering his Partner to use Thundershock. The powerful lightning bolt struck Mightyena solidly, knocking him unconscious to the floor. The remaining guard started forward, raising his fist to throw a punch. However, the Officer calmly gestured to Jolteon and said:

"Thunderwave, Jolteon. "

Lightning crackled again and the guard slumped, stunned by the electrical discharge. Checking his pulse, the Officer hand-cuffed him, and then returned his Mightyena to its Poke ball, while the other radioed the all-clear and called for the Medics.

Gary's earpiece crackled to life again and he heard Conrad say:

"The Assault Team has breached the building and will be in position in a matter of minutes. Stand by. "

Gary felt a jolt of fear and adrenaline surge through him and he hoped that nobody had noticed. Despite the announcement, Lisa was perfectly calm and Gary tried to follow her example, slowing his breathing. Next second, the calm was shattered as, with a loud blast, the doors blew off their hinges and masked figures stormed into the room, releasing Poke balls.

"Umbreon!"

Gary yelled, over the shouts of the guards and the screams of the hostages. Scrambling to his feet, Gary flinched as a Thundershock blasted past his head. Adrenaline fuelled him and he sprinted towards a nearby pillar, flattening himself against it, panting heavily. Conrad had been right; this was nothing like a Pokémon League battle. All around him, Police Officers and Cobalt's were battling furiously.

Amidst the chaos, Gary spotted a Cobalt and her Drowzee preparing to attack Lisa, who's Seel was battling against a Natu.

"Umbreon, Faint Attack. "

Gary ordered and Umbreon shot off, fading into a shadow again, reappearing behind Drowzee. Caught unawares, Umbreon's attack KO'd Drowzee instantly. Before the Cobalt could react, Drowzee used Flash to stun her into submission. Gary looked around and saw Officer Jenny beckoning to him desperately from behind a counter. Gary sprinted across the room in a desperate rush, crouching next to Officer Jenny, calling Umbreon to him.

"You okay?"

Jenny called, over the noise of the battle.

"Oh, sure. Nothing like sheer terror to make your day complete. "

Gary quipped.

As Umbreon rejoined Gary, he surveyed the battlefield and saw that things seemed fairly evenly matched. However, standing in the middle was Rain, arms folded in a relaxed way, despite the battle going on around him.

If Rain could be stopped, then all this would end.

"Officer Jenny, I've got to get to Rain. Can you cover me? I'm no good in this fight, but I can take him one-on-one."

Officer Jenny didn't look pleased, but she nodded.

"Alright. Be careful."

Officer Jenny gestured to her Growlithe, who unleashed a flamethrower at a Mankey that was bounding towards them.

"Go!"

Jenny yelled, and Gary sprang to his feet, charging towards Rain.

Rain turned, a sardonic smile spreading across his face.

"Gary Oak, prodigal son and rising star of the Pokémon League. You are out of your depth, boy. Still, I would like to see if the rumours of your prowess are true. "

Rain reached for his belt, selected a Poke ball and casually released its occupant.

"Kangaskhan, teach this upstart not to challenge his elders. "

Rain said.

Despite the pitched battle going on around them, Gary tried to focus on his own predicament. Kangaskhan was strong and this looked to be a well-trained one. He was in for a fight. Not wanting to be caught on the defensive, he ordered Umbreon to attack.

"Umbreon, Shadow Ball."

Umbreon sprang forward, towards Kangaskhan, launching a ball of rippling dark energy that struck it directly in the chest. Kangaskhan staggered back a step, but recovered almost immediately, retaliating with a Comet Punch. Umbreon was caught off-guard and sent flying, just managing to recover in time to land on his feet.

"Umbreon, use Confuse Ray and keep dodging. Save your energy for now. "

Gary hoped that Confuse Ray would disorient Kangaskhan enough to let Umbreon stay one step ahead. Even so, Gary knew that this wasn't going to be enough to win the battle, especially not if he took another hit like that. Gary followed Umbreon's movements as best he could, watching for his opportunity. It came almost the next second, as Umbreon narrowly dodged under Kangaskhan's Comet Punch, landing safely inside his range for a second.

"Umbreon, Flash Attack. "

Gary yelled, screwing his eyes up as the blinding flash filled the room. Kangaskhan roared in surprise and Umbreon launched Shadow Ball, striking Kangaskhan fully in the chest. The close-range attack scored a Critical Hit, throwing Kangaskhan backwards to land with a crash that Gary felt through his feet. While his foe was stunned, Umbreon sprang forward, delivering a swift Bite that rendered Kangaskhan unconscious.

Before Rain could react, Gary released Arcanine, shouting;

"Arcanine, stop him. "

Arcanine bounded forward, knocking Rain to the ground, growling in a way that suggested moving would not be a good idea.

With their leader defeated, the fight quickly went out of the remaining terrorists, and they were rounded up by the Police. Feeling strangely exhausted and shaky, Gary sat down in the corner with Umbreon and Arcanine next to him. Gary patted them both affectionately. Gary looked up when a shadow fell over him, to see Lisa staring down at him.

"Come on, Gary. The Police are finishing up here and they'll need statements from us."

She extended a hand and Gary took it, getting to his feet. Returning Arcanine to his Poke ball, Gary followed Lisa across the room. Police Officers were leading the hand-cuffed terrorist out, including Rain who gave Gary a fixed stare and a nod of sardonic respect.

Gary ignored him, turning to Officer Jenny, who was walking over to them.

"Are you two alright?"

She asked, and they both nodded.

"Good. I wanted to thank you for your help. You helped us get a good result today. If you don't mind answering a few questions, we can put these guys away."

"Of course." Lisa responded.

"Still, will this really do any good? You must have seen the same intelligence reports that we have. This has been the fourth terrorist incident by the Colbalt Cloud in the last three weeks. While I hate the phrase 'Master Plan', there's something bigger going on. And rounding up these small fry won't get us any closer. "

A scowl passed across Officer Jenny's face for a second, being replaced with a resigned smile;

"If that's the most we can do for now, then I'll take that as a victory. Hopefully, we'll learn something that will give us a lead.

In the meantime, I'm just thankful that we stopped anyone from getting hurt. Now, about those statements..."

An hour later, Gary and Lisa met with Conrad and the others in one of the Pokémon Centre's Conference Rooms. Conrad, Denver and Hammer were sitting around the table with serious looks on their faces. Conrad gestured for Gary and Lisa to sit, before saying.

"Firstly, I wanted to thank all of you. Things might have been a lot worse without our intervention."

He paused for a moment, surveying the faces of Lisa, Hammer and Denver in turn.

"As for our second item of business, are we all agreed?"

They nodded, one after the other and Conrad smiled.

"Very well. Mr Oak, I have to be honest with you. Our being in Celadon was no coincidence. We came here today to offer you a job. A real job, not these figurehead positions that you've been receiving for the last month."

Seeing Gary's expression, he shook his head.

" We do our homework, Mr Oak. And no, we don't want you for your name. We want you because we've had our eye on you and we know talent when we see it. As if today's events didn't prove that."

"I think your line of work might be a little too exciting for me."

Gary said, drawing a smile from Conrad.

"This wasn't a typical day for us. Our main occupation is competing in Tournaments or recovering high value items for the Pokémon League, like Elemental Stones."

Gary sat back slowly, a grin spreading over his face.

"Alright. I'm in. I think I'm going to enjoy this."

**End of Chapter 1**

**Any comments, reviews or constructive criticisms most welcome.**

**I hope you've enjoyed it.**


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